Foreign Amenities
by foreveranelf
Summary: Hogwarts develops a new foreign exchange program. What friendships, mysteries, and possible lost explanations will unfold as our favorite characters go through another year? Full summary inside.
1. Riding the Flight Train

Before I begin, I should warn you. I originally created this for the pleasure of my friends, who wanted to see themselves in a Hogwarts-like situation. PLEASE NO FLAMES! The prologue is pretty much the full summary- read away!  
  
~ Prologue ~  
  
(A/N: Foreign means 'from another place' and amenities are formal greetings. It was a vocabulary word for English!)  
  
Many people think of Hogwarts as The Wizarding School. This is not true, as was seen in the fourth book when Beauxbatons and Durmstrang joined our range of view. The thing is, if England and France and Bulgaria all have wizarding schools, why can't America? In this story, I have created the American Wizarding School: Havernathy (Haah-ver-naath-ee) Some background information on the school:  
  
There are still four houses, each an equivalent of one of the houses in the Harry Potter books.  
  
For Gryfinndor, the new name is Wolsendor, the founder was William Wolsendor, and the mascot is a wolf instead of a lion. For Slytherin, the new name is Rambolin, the founder was Richard Rambolin, and the mascot is a weasel. For Ravenclaw, the new name is Tallonhah, the founder was Tania Tallonhah, and the mascot is an owl instead of an eagle. For Hufflepuff, the new name is Fluffyhuff. The founder, Fiona Hufflepuff, was none other than Helga Hufflepuff's cousin. Not wanting two Hufflepuffs, Fiona changed her house's name to Fluffyhuff, apparently to decrease confusion. Her mascot was the lamb.  
  
I know everyone wanted me to make this a random, funny, happy-go-lucky story, but I have a better plot line. It will still have humor, but there will be a more serious part to the story as well. Part of that seriousness will be using the characters' actual personalities. Sorry to those who liked my baby Harry and popular Hermione!  
  
One last thing before I start the actual story:  
  
Disclaimer: The characters of Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Draco Malfoy, and Oliver Wood and any other Hogwarts characters mentioned all belong to J.K. Rowling. She created them, and I cannot take them away, as much as it is tempting. Hogwarts and the base idea of this story also belong to her, though I have probably scrambled her ideas somewhat.  
  
~ Chapter 1: Riding the Flight Train ~  
  
It was a cold and dreary day in England, maybe a sign of events to come. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, and Ginny Weasley were standing at Platform 3 ½ in Kingsbury Station, waiting for the train that would take them to their new school-in America. For the first time, a foreign exchange plan was created for Hogwarts, and was open to all sixth and seventh years. Unfortunately, there was also a grade standard. None of the seventh years that signed up had made the standards for their year, and no one except Harry, Ron, and Hermione had signed up for their year. No one, that is, except for Draco Malfoy, who was getting a private trip to the new school. Ginny Weasley had requested to go as well, even thought she was only in her fifth year. She was allowed to because she wanted to be with her older brother, she made the grade limit of the sixth years even though she was in her fifth year, and the school still gave her the creeps from the incident in her first year. The four teenagers stood shivering in the wind, waiting with their luggage for the train to come.  
  
For Harry, this would be his first time on a flight train. A flight train was bewitched to fly and only could be seen by witches and wizards. Hermione had taken one for her trip to see Krum in Bulgaria the previous summer and the Weasleys had taken flight trains to see Charlie in Romania and Bill in Egypt. Harry was a little nervous about flying in a contraption that could fly without wings. Hermione reassured him easily.  
  
"That's where magic comes in," she explained, "I mean, you didn't question reality when you and Ron went in that flying car, now did you?" Harry smiled, recollecting the experience from years beforehand.  
  
"That was a good one!" Ron laughed, "Do you remember McGonnagal's face, Harry? Completely straight, just like this-" Ron donned a melodramatic face and annoyingly high-pitched voice, "You two should know better than to make a decision like that. Why not send Hedwig?" He laughed again. Lots of girls were in love with him by now for the joking disposition he inherited from Fred and George, not to mention his good looks.  
  
"Really, Ron," Hermione sighed, "I don't think that would be a very fun predicament, and it wasn't, was it Harry? You would know. You were there, even if Ginny and I weren't"  
  
"Hm?" Harry had been staring off into space, thinking. He could not help but hope this year offered a little less adventure than at Hogwarts. Fighting Voldemort every year had been tough. It was one reason he was going to America. The wizarding world doubted Voldemort would follow him there. At that very moment, Aurors were probably keeping him at bay, wherever he was. Harry had gotten both braver and more nervous over the years. It would seem ironic, but it's his nerves that made him braver. Bravery is not the same if you are not afraid. It is only bravery if one is scared, but still follows through with their acts. (A/N: That is told in 'To Kill a Mockingbird').  
  
"Never mind," Hermione said in an increasingly exasperated tone, and continued talking to Ron and Ginny. Harry started to go back to his thoughts, but was soon interrupted by the whistle of the train as it pulled into the station. The old trio, joined by Ginny, dragged their trunks into the back storage car and climbed onto the train. After walking down the corridor, they reached compartment #18 and sat down. Ron and Hermione were talking quickly and excitedly to Harry about how much fun it was to take off for the first time. Harry was getting seasick just from their jumping about. A voice, magnified by the Sonorus spell, suddenly filled the train.  
  
"Everyone get into a seated position, we are taking off," the voice said in a droning monotone. A few moments later, the train lurched and sped out of the station. They went faster and faster, following the train track down a lush field. Harry looked ahead to see a sign that read 'Track Unfinished," and his stomach contorted. Just before they reached the edge of the unfinished track, they rose into the air and took off. The voice spoke again, this time in a more cheerful tone.  
  
"We would never really go off the edge of an unfinished track," The voice laughed. Ron, Ginny, and Hermione laughed, too. Harry had practically been sick with anxiety, but now that they were safely in the air, supported by layers of magic, he managed a small laugh, too.  
  
In a short while, the four travelling companions were able to look out the window at a shining blue-gray sea below. They found some games in one of the top compartments and played a few rounds of Monopoly. Hermione and Harry found it funny that the Weasleys had never played that Muggle game before.  
  
"It's great!" said Hermione, "You get to buy and sell all your own properties!"  
  
"Easy for you to talk about it being great," moaned Ron, "You own half the board! I don't even know what these places are!"  
  
"Well, it's an American game-" said Harry, "So they're American places"  
  
"I get the feeling this isn't the last we'll be seeing of the game, then," said Ginny. She rolled the dice and landed on Pennsylvania Avenue, which was owned by Hermione with all the other green spaces.  
  
"Pay up," Hermione smiled cheerfully as Ginny handed over the need 150 dollars, "Now, Ron, if you want to know the places you're buying, we can change the board around." She muttered some spells underneath her breath and waved her wand over the board, "The school year has technically started, so I can do spells," she stated with a grin.  
  
"Hermione, sometimes you amaze me," Ron said in disbelief. The board had completely changed. 'Jail' became 'Azkaban', 'GO!' became 'Cast your spell!' and places like Diagon Alley and Hogwarts took the places of the known Muggle properties.  
  
"There, happy now?" asked Hermione with a hint of smugness in her voice. She was still as smart as ever and proud of it.  
  
Ginny, who had been looking out the window, now shouted loudly. "I see land up ahead!" she exclaimed. It was true-at this point, the land was no more than a line on the horizon, but it was obvious that they were soon to arrive in the United States. They packed up the game, declaring Hermione to be the winner, and waited for the conductor's voice to come on again while they watched America draw nearer. About five minutes later, they crossed over the shores into the new country. They continued to fly toward their destination.  
  
"We're almost there!" gasped Hermione, upon seeing another body of water.  
  
"How do you know?" asked Ron, "Have you read 'Havernathy, a History' as much as you've read 'Hogwarts, a History'? Do you know every detail on the school?"  
  
"It's not 'Havernathy, a History'," grumbled Hermione, "It's 'A Telling of the Secrets of Havernathy'. Excuse me for knowing more than just the name of our new school," She took out a map, and pointed to a large body of water, "This is Lake Erie. The founders built the school on a large island in the middle of the lake. The entire island is bewitched so only wizards see it. If any Muggles try to come by on boats, sudden currents in the water prevent them from sailing through the area. It's not a very big area- their school isn't quite as gigantic as Hogwarts. In fact, they only received a Quidditch pitch, a coach, and supplies this year. They're about 1000 years newer than Hogwarts." Hermione stopped and smiled proudly. The others stared at how she could fit in all the information in one breath.  
  
"Do you memorize the books, Hermione?" Ron asked, raising his eyebrows. Hermione glared at him for a moment before letting out a shriek of excitement. "We're slowing down! We're landing!" She shouted with glee, "New books, new teachers, and best of all, NEW PEOPLE TO IMPRESS!" She danced around the compartment, ignoring the fact that the train conductor talking in his magnified voice again, telling everyone to stay seated.  
  
"I think this is the most excited she's ever been," said Harry, watching her antics.  
  
"You obviously didn't see her last year after Potions when she proved Malfoy wrong and Snape had no choice but to give Gryfinndor 20 house points," said Ron, who was not taking his eyes off her.  
  
The train was coming lower and lower to the ground. They could not see very well because it was getting dark, but tried to observe as much as they could about the school grounds, anyway. The architecture of Havernathy was a very classic brick, not quite so entrancing as Hogwarts, but it was a very warm-looking place. All the lights were on, which added to the comfort of the scene. The main building was built in a giant C-shape, with the final alleyway being spanned by an arch from which the school flag hung. The overall level of the school was about five stories, but four square brick towers, ending in cupolas, rose up around the building. In the back of the school, slightly to the right, stood a row of three small greenhouses. Also in back, but slightly to the left, was the brand-new Quidditch pitch, also complete with tall, red- brick stands. A small brick house stood beside the greenhouses. It was only one story, and looked like there could be no more than three rooms. The traveling companions guessed that it was for the gamekeeper of Havernathy, whoever it was. They were thinking of meeting him/her and many other people when the conductor opened the door and gestured them out, telling them their bags would be brought in separately.  
  
Their wish about meeting the gamekeeper was shortly fulfilled. It turned out Havernathy's gamekeeper was both gamekeeper and caretaker, sort of light Filch and Hagrid combined into one. This man was named Mr. Johnny Johnsy, a happy old man who was surprisingly nimble for his age and preferred to be called by his surname. He led them into the building.  
  
"I cannot believe I am meeting the famous Harry Potter! Such a delight! My heart feels light!" He exclaimed as he led them through the archway into the main courtyard of the building.  
  
"Hey, you rhymed!" giggled Ginny,  
  
"A rhyme is a blast, it will make your time fast!" Johnsy grinned, "There is always a rhyme right for each time!" Ginny giggled more at his continuous couplets.  
  
He led them to the large double doors directly across the courtyards from the arch, "And now my friends, it is time, For me to end my silly rhymes, As you go on to find your places, I'll make sure you all have smiling faces." With that last rhyme, he opened the doors and led the teen quartet into the Great Hall of Havernathy.  
  
OOOOOOOOOOOH CLIFFHANGER!!! WHATEVER WILL WE DO???????? Yeah, I know it's not a great cliffhanger, and that they're cheesy and all that, but they're fun, too. Hope you liked it. PLEASE REVIEW! 


	2. Making Amenities

I don't update fan fiction as much anymore, so there will probably still be a week (at least) in between each of my new chapters. Here's chapter 2 to enjoy until I come to you with chapter 3!  
  
Pickup to chapter two: Johnsy led them to the large double doors directly across the courtyard from the arch:  
"And now my friends, it is time,  
For me to end my silly rhymes,  
As you go on to find your places,  
I'll make sure you all have smiling faces." With that last rhyme, he opened the doors and led the teen quartet into the Great Hall of Havernathy.  
  
~ Chapter 2: Making Amenities ~  
  
Many thoughts crossed the minds of Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Ginny as they entered the Great Hall of Havernathy. They realized how much smaller it was than Hogwarts, both in size and number of people. The room was set up in a similar fashion to Hogwarts, with some differences. Instead of floating candles, tiny lit fairies flew around the room in tight bunches. The ceiling, though not as astounding as that at Hogwarts, was painted with the pictures of famous witches and wizards in a giant collage. All were walking constantly on the ceiling and occasionally yelling at those below. There were still five tables, one for each house and one for the staff. In this case, though, the staff table was circular and set in the center of the room. Each of the four house tables was rectangular and arranged around the staff table, each in a separate corner on a diagonal. Above each house flew a banner, bewitched to stay in the air by itself. Hermione in particular was intrigued by the differences in the houses. Above one table rose a violet banner with a golden wolf on the front. The table to their right had a navy blue banner flying high above with a golden owl on the front, and the table to their left had a pale orange banner with a silver sheep on the front. The table in the back left corner carried the image of a silver weasel on an olive green background.  
  
"I wonder if we'll need to be re-sorted for these houses," Hermione whispered in Harry's ear. He shrugged; he was too interested in trying to figure out what was hidden underneath the platters on the tables.  
  
Throughout their walking up to the staff table, they had been so preoccupied by their surroundings that they had not realized the silence in the hall as they walked in. Harry in particular was getting some strange and skeptical glances. They finally reached the front of the room, where all of their new professors were standing and waiting, as well as one familiar face-Draco Malfoy. He smirked at them as an old woman stood and addressed everyone.  
  
"A new school year begins!" She cried, "and we have some very special students this year! Please welcome Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Draco Malfoy, and- "she paused- "Harry Potter!" Gasps were heard from various people in the room at Harry's name before the applause for the new students began. The old woman quickly hushed the Havernathy students and turned towards Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione.  
  
"I am Maria Hufflepuff, your new headmistress" she said. Hermione quickly interrupted. "HUFFLEPUFF?" she exclaimed, "Helga Hufflepuff was one of the founders of Hogwarts! Are you related to her?!"  
  
The headmistress nodded. "I am a direct descendant of Helga Hufflepuff's cousin, Fiona Hufflepuff. She is more commonly known as Fiona Fluffyhuff, founder of Fluffyhuff house." The table situated under the orange sheep banner cheered.  
  
"And speaking of houses, you all need to be sorted. Our first years were just sorted into their individual houses, and now you must be sorted into yours," she continued, "You see, our houses are different than those at Hogwarts. The first is Wolsendor, probably most similar to your Gryfinndor," she motioned to the house with the wolf banner, "Wolsendor students are chosen for strength, inside as well as outside. The next table, " she motioned to the table with the owl banner, "is Tallonhah, probably most similar to your Ravenclaw. Students in Tallonhah are chosen for their creativity as well as intelligence. The third house, from which my ancestors descend, is Fluffyhuff," the table underneath the sheep banner cheered again, "They are a lot like Hogwarts' Hufflepuff, and are chosen for honesty. That brings me to our last table, Rambolin," she motioned to the last remaining table under the weasel banner, "They're a lot like Slytherin, as you may guess, but these students are chosen for their determination, and sometimes stubbornness. I think that's all you need to know." She smiled and yelled, "BRING OUT THE SORTING HAT!" (A/N: I am keeping the idea of the sorting hat because I don't want all things to change)  
  
"Let's do this in alphabetical order," she said when she had the Havernathy sorting hat, "First, Hermione Granger!" Hermione walked up the steps onto the platform that supported the staff table and sat in the Sorting chair. The hat shouted, "TALLONHAH! WHAT AN INTELLEGENT MIND!" and Hermione was pushed off to the navy blue table amongst applause from her peers.  
  
Draco smirked as she left for her table, and sat in the chair as he was already on the platform. The hat had no sooner brushed his head than it shouted, "RAMBOLIN!" just like the sorting hat did when it judged him Slytherin in his first year at Hogwarts. He got off the chair and did his haughty little saunter all the way over to the Rambolin table, which smiled at him and offered a quiet but steady applause.  
  
Harry was relieved sorting would work the same way as it did in Hogwarts. He walked up the platform and sat on the chair. This hat didn't talk to him like the Hogwarts sorting hat did. It simply shouted, "WOLSENDOR! WHAT A STRONG MIND!" And he was pushed off to his table among loud cheers.  
  
Ginny was the next one up on the platform. The hat hummed for a second then shouted out, "TALLONHAH! WHAT A CREATIVE MIND!" She blushed as she received her applause.  
  
Ron's ears were bright red as he walked up to the Sorting chair, being the last one. The hat went on his head and almost instantly yelled, "WOLSENDOR! WHAT A STRONG MIND!" Ron's ears practically melted off as he went and joined the Wolsendor table next to Harry.  
  
The headmistress smiled as her last new student went off to find his seat. "Now that the last people have been sorted," she said, "YOU MAY FEAST!" Cheers greeted her cry and the tops of all the platters were magically lifted off into the air so that the students could help themselves. Everyone instantly wanted to talk with the new students. People asking questions instantly flooded around Harry and Ron.  
  
"So what's it like in England?"  
  
"What are your houses like?"  
  
"Have you ever played Quidditch?"  
  
Harry's head was spinning from all the questions. At the Tallonhah table in the next corner, Hermione was having a better time.  
  
"So you were part of Gryfinndor at Hogwarts?" asked a red-headed girl across from Hermione. "Yes, Anne," said Hermione, always in her proper English manner, "And I think it is very interesting that I'm in a different house now" Ginny, who was sitting next to Hermione, nodded. "I was in Gryfinndor before also", she said shyly.  
  
"But you're only in your fifth year?" asked Kate, the girl sitting next to Anne. She had black wavy hair and black eyeliner to match.  
  
"Yea, but my big brother's in sixth with you," said Ginny, who was still shy. She grew more accustomed as she talked, though, and the four girls continued to carry on different conversations. Every once in a while they were interrupted by someone wanting to meet Hermione and Ginny, but had a good time all the same. At the Rambolin table, Draco Malfoy was getting a lot more attention than the two girls.  
  
"That's right, I'm a Quidditch star back home," drawled Draco as girls swooned over him, "Seeker and Slytherin team captain, that's me," he smiled at the girls around him.  
  
"Oh, Draco!" cried the girl hanging on his arm. This was Julia Margolinski, who swooned over every new guy she ever met or heard of, "Tell us one of your Quidditch stories, Draco!" she scooted even closer to him.  
  
"Well, there was one game that was in the rain, right? Potter and I were ready to battle to the kill for the snitch, but I wasn't about to let him-" Draco continued to go off on one of his false stories about his greatness as the Rambolin girls swooned and the Rambolin guys glared.  
  
All the Hogwarts students seemed to be having a really good time at their new school-but none of them knew they extent to what might happen in the year to come.  
  
OoOoOoOoOoOoH WHAT'S GONNA HAPPEN???? YOU WILL NEVER KNOW UNLESS YOU REVIEW!!!!!!! REVIEW, I SAY!!!!!!!!! 


End file.
